Glass washing machine with broken glass removal system

ABSTRACT

A glass sheet washing machine with a broken glass removal system includes a support, a liquid container or reservoir, a pump, a liquid applicator, and a liquid permeable member. The support supports a glass sheet being washed. The liquid reservoir is positioned below the support. The pump is coupled to the liquid reservoir. The liquid applicator is coupled to the pump. The liquid applicator applies the liquid from the liquid reservoir to wash the glass sheet. Excess liquid falls into the reservoir. The liquid permeable member is positioned between the support and the liquid reservoir to catch pieces of glass to inhibit the pieces of broken glass from falling into the liquid reservoir and is moved to remove the pieces from the glass washing machine.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to glass processing equipmentand, in particular, to glass sheet washing machines.

BACKGROUND ART

Glass sheets or plates are used in the construction of a wide variety ofitems including doors, windows, furniture, mirrors and insulating glassunits. Typically, a glass sheet or plate is mounted using an adhesiveand/or a sealant. For an adhesive and/or a sealant to properly adhere toa glass sheet or plate, the glass sheet or plate must be clean. As aresult, glass sheet washing machines have been developed.

Known glass sheet washing machines include a top row of brush rollersspaced apart from a bottom row of brush rollers. Sprayers spray awashing or rinsing liquid on each brush roller. A conveyor includesdrive rollers positioned adjacent to brush rollers of each row. Theglass sheets are passed through the conveyor with one large face up andone large face down. The top row of brush rollers acts on one large faceof the glass and the bottom row acts on the other large face. Fluidreservoirs or containers are positioned below the conveyor and the brushrollers. Washing or rinsing fluid is pumped from the fluid reservoirs tothe spray nozzles. Excess washing or rising liquid sprayed onto thebrush rollers re-enters the reservoir under the force of gravity torecycle the liquid.

It is common for glass sheets or plates being washed to break. When theglass sheet or plate breaks, broken pieces of glass fall into the fluidreservoirs. Typically, the operator of the glass washing machine willwait until the end of a production shift to remove the broken pieces ofglass from the fluid reservoirs, so production is not interrupted.Presently, removal of the broken pieces of glass from the reservoirs isa difficult, time consuming, manual operation. The operator slides thereservoirs out from under the glass washing machine and “scoops” thebroken pieces of glass out of the reservoirs with a shovel or net. Atray or pan can also be placed above the reservoirs to collect thebroken glass. This requires dedicated floor space around the machine tobe able to remove the trays.

What is needed is a system for inhibiting pieces of a broken sheet orplate of glass from falling into fluid reservoirs and easily removingthe broken pieces from the glass washing machine.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present disclosure concerns a glass sheet or plate washing machine.The disclosed washing machine includes a support, a liquid container orreservoir, a pump, a liquid applicator, and a glass catching web. Thesupport supports a glass sheet being washed. The liquid reservoir ispositioned below the support. The pump is coupled to the liquidreservoir. The liquid applicator is coupled to the pump. The pumpprovides liquid from the reservoir to the liquid applicator. The liquidapplicator applies the liquid from the reservoir to the glass sheet towash the glass sheet. An excess of the liquid falls back into thereservoir. The glass catching web is positioned between the support andthe reservoir to catch pieces of broken glass when a glass sheet beingwashed breaks. The glass catching web inhibits pieces of broken glassfrom falling into the liquid reservoir.

In one embodiment, the glass catching web is a liquid permeable member.The glass catching web may be supported by first and second rotatablerolls. Rotation of the rolls moves the glass catching web to removepieces of broken glass that have fallen onto the glass catching web.

In one embodiment, the glass catching web is connected at one end to oneof the rotatable rolls and at a second end to the other rotatable roll.The rolls are rotated in one direction to move the glass catching web toremove broken pieces of glass. The rolls may then be rotated in anopposite direction to position the glass catching web to catch pieces ofa subsequent glass sheet that breaks.

In an alternate embodiment, the glass catching web is in the form of acontinuous belt. The belt is disposed around the first and secondrotatable rolls. The rotatable rolls are rotated, moving the glasscatching web to remove broken pieces of glass. The rotatable rolls maybe constantly driven to continuously remove any pieces of broken glassthat fall onto the glass catching web.

In one embodiment, the glass catching web is a rubber belt. In analternate embodiment, the liquid permeable member is a wire mesh belt. Atrough may be disposed below the glass catching web for receiving piecesof broken glass.

In one embodiment, the support is a conveyor that moves glass sheets orplates above the glass catching web. The liquid applicator may comprisea rotating brush and a spray nozzle. The rotating brush is positionedalong a path of travel of the glass sheet. The rotating brush contactsthe glass sheet as the glass sheet moves through the glass washingmachine. The spray nozzle is positioned to spray liquid onto therotating brush.

A method of inhibiting pieces of broken glass from entering a fluidreservoir of the glass sheet washing machine includes applying fluid toa glass sheet to wash the glass sheet. A glass catching web is placedbetween the glass sheet and a fluid reservoir of the glass washingmachine. Excess fluid is communicated through or past the glass catchingweb to the reservoir. When a glass sheet breaks, pieces of broken glassare caught with the glass catching web to inhibit pieces from enteringthe fluid reservoir. The glass catching web is moved to remove pieces ofbroken glass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a glass washing machine with abroken glass removal system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of one station of a glass washingmachine with a broken glass removal system;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one station of a glass washing machine witha glass removal system;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a conveyor drive in a glasswashing machine with a broken glass removal system;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of brush drives in a glass washingmachine having a broken glass removal system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of reservoirs of a glass washingmachine;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a liquid permeable belt mountedon rollers above reservoirs of a glass washing machine;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an elongated glass catchingmember connected to rollers above reservoirs of a glass washing machine;

FIG. 9 illustrates an elongated glass catching member connected to aroller that is rotatable with a crank;

FIG. 10 illustrates an elongated glass catching member connected to aroller that is rotatable with a crank;

FIG. 11 illustrates flow valves of a glass washing machine;

FIG. 12 depicts a drive train for rollers of a conveyor;

FIG. 13 illustrates a glass catching member positioned in a housing of aglass washing machine;

FIG. 14 shows drive trains of brushes and conduits to sprayers of aglass washing machine;

FIG. 15 illustrates a liquid permeable glass catching member.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to a glass sheet washing machine 10for cleaning glass sheets 12 or plates. The washing machine 10 includesa support 14, a reservoir or container 16, a pump 18, a liquidapplicator 20, and a glass catching web 22. In the illustratedembodiment, the glass catching web 22 is a liquid permeable member.Referring to FIG. 2, the support 14 supports a glass sheet 12 beingwashed. The liquid reservoir 16 is positioned below the support 14. Thepump 18 is coupled to the liquid reservoir 16. The liquid applicator 20is coupled to the pump 18. The pump 18 supplies a cleaning liquid 24from the reservoir 16 to the applicator 20. The liquid applicator 20applies the cleaning liquid 24 to the glass sheet 12 to wash the glasssheet 12. Excess liquid 26 falls back into the reservoir 16. The glasscatching web 22 is positioned between the support 14 and the reservoir16 to catch broken pieces of glass 28 when a glass sheet 12 being washedbreaks. The glass catching web 22 inhibits the broken pieces 28 fromentering the reservoir 16.

Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated glass washing machine includes aprewash station 30, a wash station 32, a first rinse station 34 and afinal rinse station 36. Referring to FIGS. 1–3, in the illustratedembodiment, each station 30, 32, 34, 36 includes a support 14, areservoir 16, a pump 18, and a liquid applicator 20. In the illustratedembodiment, a single glass catching web 22 is used in the glass sheetwashing machine 10. The glass catching web 22 spans all four stations30, 32, 34, 36 in the illustrated embodiment. The glass catching web 22is positioned between the support 14 and the reservoir 16 of all fourstations 30, 32, 34, 36.

Referring to FIGS. 1–4, the illustrated support 14 is a conveyor 38. Theconveyor 38 includes an upper set of rollers 40 and a lower set ofrollers 42. The rollers 40, 42 move the glass sheet 12 through thewashing machine 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, the rollers 40, 42 are driven by a chain 44 coupledto a conveyor motor 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the rollers 40,42 for all four stations 30, 32, 34, 36 are driven by a single chain anda single conveyor motor. The chain 44 engages a gear 48 on each of thelower rollers 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 12). The chain 44 is maintained inengagement with gears 48 on each of the lower rollers 42 by idler gears50 a, 50 b and tensioning guides 52. Each lower roller 42 includes asecond gear 54 positioned inward of the gear 48. Each of the upperrollers 40 include a gear 56 that meshes the second gear 54 of eachlower roller 42. The conveyor motor 46 moves the chain 44 along the pathillustrated in FIG. 4 to rotate each of the lower rollers 42. The secondgear 54 on each lower roller 42 engages the gear 56 on each upper rollerto rotate the upper roller 40. Glass placed in the conveyor 38 is movedthrough the washing machine 10 by the rollers 40, 42.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, each station 30, 32, 34, 36 includes its ownreservoir 16. Each reservoir 16 includes the cleaning liquid 24 that isapplied to the glass sheet in the station that the reservoir is a partof. In the illustrated embodiment, the reservoirs 16 of the prewashstation 30, the first rinse station 34 and the final rinse station 36contain water. The reservoir 16 in the wash station 32 contains asolution of water and a detergent. Each reservoir 16 includes an inlet60 and an outlet 62. The inlet 60 provides cleaning fluid 24 to thereservoir 16. The outlet 62 is in communication with the pump 18 thatsupplies the cleaning liquid 24 to the liquid applicator 76.

Referring to FIG. 2, the reservoir 16 includes a float 64 that regulatesthe liquid level in the reservoir 16. As cleaning liquid 24 is removedfrom the reservoir, the float 64 moves downward. When the float reachesa threshold level a valve 66 opens the inlet 60 to add cleaning liquid24 to the reservoir. As cleaning liquid is added, the float 64 movesupward. When the float reaches a threshold value, the valve 66 closes tostop flow of fluid 24 into the reservoir 16.

Referring to FIG. 6, the inlet 60 and spray nozzles of the final rinsestation 36 is coupled to a source of clean water, such as a tap 68.Clean tap water fills the reservoir 16 of the final rinse station 36,first rinse station 34 and wash station 32. The water from the finalrinse reservoir 16 is recycled into the first rinse station nozzles asglass sheets are washed. The water from the first rinse reservoir 16 isrecycled into the pre wash station nozzles as glass sheets are washed.The water in the wash reservoir 16 is recycled into the wash stationnozzles as glass sheets are washed. In the illustrated embodiment, wateris provided to the reservoir of the first rinse station nozzles from thefinal rinse station 36. A pump 18 provides water from the reservoir 16of the final rinse station 36 to the inlet 60 of the first rinse station34. Similarly, the reservoir of the pre-wash station 30 is filled withwater from the first rinse station 34. A pump 18 provides water from thefirst rinse station 34 to the pre-wash station 30. In this manner, wateris cycled through the final rinse station 36, then the first rinsestation 34 and finally the pre-wash station 30. As should be apparent,the most clean water is contained in the reservoir of the final rinsestation 36, slightly less clean water is contained in the reservoir 16of the first rinse station 34 and less clean water is contained in thereservoir 16 of the pre-wash station 30. The cleaning liquid 24 used inthe wash station is not provided to the reservoirs of the otherstations, because this liquid contains detergent and is heated.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pump 18 is coupled to the reservoir 16 in eachstation 32, 34, 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid applicator20 comprises an upper rotating brush 74 a, a lower rotating brush 74 band spray nozzles 76. The rotating brushes 74 a, 74 b are positionedalong a path of travel defined by the conveyor 38. The rotating brushes74 a, 74 b contact the glass sheets as they are moved through thewashing machine 10 by the conveyor 38. The pump 18 provides cleaningliquid 24 to the spray nozzles 76. The spray nozzles 76 spray thecleaning liquid 24 onto the rotating brushes. Referring to FIGS. 2 and3, a first plurality of spray nozzles 76 are positioned to spraycleaning liquid 24 along substantially the entire length of an upperrotating brush 74 a. Likewise, an array of spray nozzles 76 ispositioned to spray cleaning liquid 24 onto a lower brush 74 b alongsubstantially the entire length of the lower rotating brush 74 b.

FIG. 5 illustrates one way of driving the rotating brushes 74 a, 74 b.In the illustrated embodiment, a motor 78 positioned outside the washingmachine 10 drives the brushes 74 a, 74 b (see FIG. 14). A belt 80 ispositioned around a pulley 82 on the motor 78 and around a pulley 84 onan upper brush 74 a. The belt engages a side of a pulley 86 on a lowerbrush 74 b. In this configuration, rotation of the pulley 82 by themotor 78 in a clockwise direction will rotate the upper brush 74 a in aclockwise direction and rotate the lower brush 74 b in acounterclockwise direction. Similarly, if the pulley 82 is driven in acounterclockwise direction by the motor 78, the upper brush 74 a isdriven in a counterclockwise direction and the lower brush 74 b isdriven in a clockwise direction.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the liquid permeable glass catching web22 is positioned between the lower brushes 74 b and the reservoir 16 inthe illustrated embodiment to catch pieces 28 of broken glass when aglass sheet 12 being washed breaks. In one embodiment, illustrated byFIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 8, the glass catching web is an elongated belt 88supported by first and second rotatable rolls 90, 92. In the exemplaryembodiment, the rotatable rolls 90, 92 are elongated shafts that extendacross the entire width of the glass washing machine 10. In theexemplary embodiment, each rotatable roll 90, 92 is connected to theglass washing machine 10 by flange bearings 94 that allow rotation ofthe rotatable rolls 90, 92. In the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1, 4,5 and 8, a crank 96 is mounted to an end of each of the rotatable rolls90, 92 (see FIG. 9). In the illustrated embodiment, the rotatable rolls90, 92 are spaced apart such that the elongated belt spans substantiallyall of the reservoirs 16 in the stations 30, 32, 34, 36. In oneembodiment, illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1, the rotatable roll 90 ispositioned above the reservoir 16 of the pre-wash station 30. Therotatable roll 90 may also be positioned outward of the glass washingmachine 10 such that all of the reservoirs 16 are covered by the belt80. For example, the rotatable roll may be mounted as illustrated at 90′of FIG. 1.

The rotatable roll 92 is positioned outside the glass washing machine 10in the illustrated embodiment. In one embodiment, the elongated web orbelt of liquid permeable material is longer than the distance betweenthe first rotatable roll 90 and the second rotatable roll 92. The extralength of the belt 88 may be rolled onto the first rotatable roll 90 byturning the crank 96 on the first rotatable roll 90. The elongated belt88 is maintained in this position until a glass sheet breaks and brokenpieces 28 of glass fall onto the elongated belt 88. The elongated belt88 inhibits broken pieces 28 of glass from falling into the reservoir16. The crank 96 on the second rotatable roll 92 may be turned to rollthe elongated belt 88 onto the second rotatable roll 92. As theelongated belt 88 is rolled onto the second rotatable roll 92, brokenpieces of glass 28 on the elongated belt 88 are moved toward the secondrotatable roll 92 and fall off the elongated belt 88 into a trough 98.In the exemplary embodiment, the length of elongated belt 88 that can berolled onto the second rotatable roll 92 is as long or longer than thedistance between the first and second rotatable rolls 90, 92 so that anyglass that falls onto the elongated belt 88 can be removed from theglass washing machine 10 by rotating the crank 96 on the secondrotatable roll 92. After the glass pieces 28 are removed from theelongated belt 88 by turning the crank 96 on the second rotatable roll92, the crank 96 on the first rotatable roll 90 is turned to wind theelongated belt 88 back onto the first rotatable roll 90 so that piecesof the next glass sheet or plate that is broken can be removed byrotating the second rotatable roll 92.

FIG. 7 illustrates a glass catching web 22 of a second embodiment. Inthis embodiment, the liquid permeable member 22 is a continuous liquidpermeable belt 100 disposed around first and second rotatable rolls 102a 102 b. Rotation of the rotatable rolls 102 a, 102 b moves thecontinuous belt 100 to remove broken pieces of glass 28 and drop thebroken pieces of glass 28 into the trough 98. The rotatable rolls 102 a,102 b may include a crank 96. In this embodiment, the glass washingmachine operator turns the crank 96 when a glass sheet breaks to removepieces of broken glass 28 from the glass washing machine 10. In oneembodiment, the rotatable rolls 102 a, 102 b are coupled to a motor 104that drives the rotatable roll 102 a to remove broken pieces of glass28. The motor 104 may be selectively turned on to remove broken piecesof glass 28 or may be run constantly so that any broken pieces of glass28 are automatically removed. In one embodiment, a sensor may beprovided that determines when a glass sheet breaks and automaticallyturns the motor 104 on for a period of time to remove any broken pieces.

The illustrated glass catching web is a liquid permeable material.Suitable liquid permeable materials include a perforated rubber sheetand wire mesh.

In one embodiment, first and second air knives are positioned above andbelow the conveyor 38 near an exit of the glass washing machine fordrying washed glass sheets or plates. One suitable air knife isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,285 to Robert Sheperd et al. owned byGlass Equipment Development, and incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

Although the present invention has been described with a degree ofparticularity, it is the intent that the invention include allmodifications and alterations falling within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

1. A glass sheet washing machine, comprising: a) a conveyor that provides support and defines a path of travel for a glass sheet being washed; b) a rotating brush positioned along said path of travel such that said rotating brush contacts said glass sheet as said sheet moves along said path of travel; c) a spray nozzle positioned to spray a liquid onto said rotating brush; d) a liquid container positioned below said conveyor and said rotating brush; e) a pump coupled to said liquid container that provides said liquid to said spray nozzle, wherein an excess of said liquid falls into said liquid container; and f) a liquid permeable belt positioned below said rotating brush and said conveyor and above said liquid container, wherein the belt catches pieces of a broken glass sheet to inhibit said pieces falling from the conveyor from entering said liquid container, wherein movement of said belt removes said broken glass pieces from said glass washing machine.
 2. The glass washing machine of claim 1 additionally comprising first and second rotatable rolls that support the liquid permeable belt, rotation of said rolls moves said liquid permeable belt to remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.
 3. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein a first end of said liquid permeable belt is connected to a first rotatable roll and a second end of said liquid permeable belt is connected to a second rotatable roll, rotation of said rolls moves said liquid permeable belt to remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.
 4. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said liquid permeable belt is disposed around first and second rotatable rolls, rotation of said rolls moves said liquid permeable member to remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.
 5. The glass wasting machine of claim 1 further comprising a trough disposed below said liquid permeable belt for receiving said broken pieces of glass removed from said glass washing machine.
 6. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said liquid permeable belt is made from perforated rubber.
 7. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said liquid permeable belt is made from wire mesh. 